Sometimes you encounter wildlife in a surprising, unexpected, and delightful way. On my rounds of the old convent land one day in late July, I was walking along the grassy path that leads off the main ridge to the southwest and heads down through the brambles towards Caledonian Court. I stopped suddenly as I saw movement on the path ahead. There was something small coming around the corner. I stood dead still. Then slowly reached for my phone to see if I could take a photo.
Ambling along the path in the opposite direction and apparently oblivious to me, was an adult hedgehog. It continued in its inquisitive and determined way and I was able to take this clip of video.
Clearly it was not really paying me any attention, hedgehogs have poor eyesight and rely on their good hearing and sense of smell; I was very still and downwind, but when it found that my big boots were blocking its way, it stopped to consider them. After a brief sniff, it decided that perhaps it should head off the path into the long grass. As I moved gently around to take another photo, it sensed my presence and curled itself up into a protective ball. So, I quietly continued on my way and left it in peace to go about its business.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals and seeing them out during the day is often not a good sign. If you find one sunbathing during the day or appearing unsteady on its feet, like it’s drunk; these are signs that the hedgehog is in distress, sick, hypothermic or injured and it’s best to intervene and with gardening gloves, put them safe and warm in a blanket or fleece in a cardboard box with something to eat and drink (water only, milk is not good for them) and call on help from various bodies like the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (01584 890801) or the Highland Wildlife Rescue Centre in Brora (07957 584817).
And if you see any in distress up on the convent land then do call me, Chris (the Convent Land Development Officer) on 07484 205758.
However this hedgehog seemed a good size, nice and round, walking normally, although taking its time, healthy and not malnourished and apparently uninjured.
A quick check with Nicky at the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for a second opinion, confirmed it was either a gravid or pregnant female or a new mum, who are occasionally seen out in daylight at this time of year, either gathering nesting material or taking a break from their hoglets to forage for some food to keep their strength up. I was glad that in this case I’d not intervened but did check back at the location over the next couple of days to check if she was OK. Thankfully there were no signs of her, suggesting she was indeed in good health. Hedgehogs wander about 2km on average on a single night around their home territories which are between 10 and 20 hectares. So, the convent land is only part of her home patch.
Hedgehogs were once a very common sight when I was younger, but populations have been declining from an estimated 30 million in the UK in the 1950s to less than 1 million in recent surveys.
The reason for their decline is complex and not clearly understood; but habitat fragmentation and modern pesticides have played a significant part. In fact, urban populations seem to have stabilised and, in some places, started to rebound as home owners and gardeners more understand the need to help them; by leaving wild areas in the garden, by creating easy exits from garden ponds and cutting small holes in fences at ground level. These allow hedgehogs to roam more freely in wider areas during their nighttime wanderings.
Unfortunately this is not the case with the rural population and as a result Hedgehogs on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (GB) as being ‘vulnerable’ in the UK. But there are lots of things that can be done to help.
If anyone is interested in helping and supporting our Convent hedgehogs and wouldn’t mind giving some time, it would be very useful to survey the local population using footprint tracking tunnels and encourage and protect them by building some hedgehog homes to be placed in various suitable locations around the convent land: Please contact Chris (Convent Land Development Officer) on 07484 205758, email conventland@communitycompany.co.uk or at the office in the Village Hall or approach me when I’m doing my rounds on the convent land.
Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company 